Is C-USA really good?

It wasn't like leaping up and saluting with a sports bar beer mug as UTEP finally put away Houston 76-64 Saturday in The Don. It took big-favorite UTEP way to long to get Houston to go crunch on a night Memphis was getting shellacked at ... holy smokes ... Rice.

Is Conference USA any good? And is UAB the team to have to beat to win the regular-season title. UAB seems the most-steady team now, and is veteran and well coached.

UTEP gave up all kinds of easy scoring to a Houston team that is now sub .500 for the season, 12-13. There was really no doubt who'd win. But UTEP (20-6 now) should be showing something more than what borders on the ... well, who's hot tonight? On Saturday it was Randy Culpepper getting 33 points from all over the floor. But I'm just not thinking there's a march to the "team-being-a-team" peak that's the nugget of gold so late in the season.

UTEP gets the win and now leads C-USA by a half game over just about... everybody else. Memphis, So. Miss, UAB.

Memphis led by a half game going into Saturday, but lost at cellar-dweller-type Rice, How does that happen in late February - if you are the top team in a conference, and if the conference is any good.

So UTEP regains its lead by a half game. But, remember, the Miners have 8 wins and Memphis, So. Miss., and UAB have 9.

The loss column counts most, so UTEP can win by winning out.

But UTEP isn't playing like a team that will win out.

The way it looks tonight: The winner of the C-USA Tournament (in El Paso) goes to the NCAA, and if it's the steady-playing UAB guys, then only UAB goes. Nobody else is beating everybody lately and surely UTEP has not pinnel wins against anybody of the "anybodys" to help the NCAA Selection Committee take notice should the Miners not win the regular season and/or the C-USA Tournament.